


Purple Heart

by orphan_account



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Gen, Gun Violence, Not Beta Read, Older Dib (Invader Zim), Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 05:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21131141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Dib has an accident.





	Purple Heart

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys this is the thing i made right after i drew this:  
https://kumquatstar.tumblr.com/post/188505992134/kumquatstar-i-wrote-a-zadf-zim-dies-fic-does

Dib plucked the package he received off of the welcome mat before Gaz or, god forbid, his father got to it first. He then made off with it at an alarming speed, locked his room's door, and got to opening it.

His seniority in the Swollen Eye Network lent him some new privileges, like access to advanced cryptid-hunting weaponry (really just plain old weaponry, the firearm kind) acquired through means that were absolutely not legal. But he was trusted, and he wasn't going to do anything stupid with it, he promised, and now he had his used, tricked out gun with custom parts. 

For a long time, as soon as the Florpus situation was remedied, Dib's rivalry with Zim grinded to a near halt. Zim's "acts of terror against mankind" became pathetic. So very pathetic. The incentive Dib had in continuing to hunt Zim evaporated. They still chased each other around, sure, but only to keep themselves occupied. Dib started high skool, graduated, and then started college. The amount of time he spared for Zim's antics (including but not limited to: making computer viruses, shoplifting, littering, and jaywalking.) dwindled and although the vitriol was still there, there wasn't much to stop. Not to mention the physical advantage Dib had as soon as he hit 6'0", as Zim was puntable from his height, which Dib had certainly tested out.

Hell, Zim even got invited to family outings sometimes. Not that he would show up, he said, despite being clearly interested in what a human bar-bee-cue entailed. And sometimes Dib and Zim would end up hanging out together at house parties that neither of them were allowed to attend, not because they got along, but because they didn't know anyone else. Why Zim bothered to go to those eluded him entirely, but the societal pressures of high skool must've been some incentive. What kind of normal boy-pig doesn't want to come to a party with weed and alcohol?

Dib's fondest memory ever (besides baby Gaz coming home for the very first time) was absolutely when Zim hit a wax pen way too hard and nearly turned inside out with how violently he was dry heaving, after expelling 3 stomachs' worth of bile all over the other guests. Good times.

But in the last 4 months, something changed.

He hadn't seen Zim in real life for 6 of them. They were cyberbullying each other for about 2 months before Zim deleted his Twitter account. The last thing he heard from him was something along the lines of, "YOU WILL REGRET THIS DIB-BITCH YOU SMELL LIKE SEWER AND I HOPE YOU CATCH A TAPEWORM".

This itself was no big deal. Zim was prone to disappearing, probably to hatch some scheme, and Dib was aware of this, but he also had online classes to do, and despite the job-opportunity-at-Membrane-Labs-through-nepotism he was expected to take, he considered himself more liberal-arts. He didn't have time to sit around and get smelly again, to sit and watch, nor would Gaz let him, lest she tie him up outside and blast him with a fire hose.

What started to worry him was the giant fucking device attached to Zim's roof that looked to be nearly completed.

It must've been an add-on to the fake satellite on his roof. It also cast a shadow that covered the entire house and surrounding apartments. Dib was concerned.

And thus, the anti-alien gun he was now toting in the largest inner pocket in his coat, loaded, but chamber emptied and safety on. When he entered the house, Zim's robot was there, sitting on the couch and watching television as per usual.

"Hey, Zim's robot. Where is he?"

"Master's in his lab! And there's a chicken's wings in the oven!"

"Thanks. And I ate lunch, so, uh, I'll pass on the wings."

He caught a glance of the oven. Those were definitely not wings.

Ignoring that, he headed to the underground, shoving himself into the toilet a far more difficult task now that he towered over Zim, and crept into the "hallway".

Inside, Zim wasn't anywhere to be seen. The labyrinth of alien machinery was all too familiar to Dib, but there were hardly any traces or clues anywhere as to Zim's location. It looked like most of the equipment hadn't been touched since forever.

After about 20 minutes of snooping, he found Zim sitting cross-legged, facing nothing, in a huge an empty room. What looked like an IMAX screen covered the walls. Dib wanted to jump in and get it over with, just intimidate the stupid little thing and leave, but something kept him from waltzing in.

Zim was sitting so still. Dib still wasn't sure if he had lungs or what, even after all these years, but whatever he was doing didn't resemble breathing in the slightest. His arms were limp, hands resting knuckle-down on the floor, antennae flat against his head.

Dib stood at the entryway for what felt like hours waiting to see if Zim would move at any point. Nothing.

Ever so slowly, he creeped up to him, Zim still frozen in place.

"Zim."

No response.

"Zim! Hey!"

Nothing.

"I will kick you off of this platform."

Zim didn't even twitch. Dib huffed and grabbed him by the collar of his dress. Zim yelped and moved, finally, scrabbling against the floor as Dib moved to hoist him by the armpits.

"Dib-fuckhead!!! Release Zim!"

"Blegh, I always forget how weird it is for you to say curse-words."

Zim kicked Dib in the chest, which led to Dib dropping him, subsequently slamming him head-first into the platform. Zim winced for a split second but jumped into action as soon as his footing was solid.

Zim looked livid. "Get out right now! Can't you see that Zim is busy?!"

Dib scoffed. "Busy with what? All I see you doing is sitting in the dark!"

Zim grit his teeth. "It's none of your business! But fine, I will tell you! I was informed by the Control Brains directly that the Tallest have a message for me, and that I must stay stationed here to receive it!"

"I don't care about that! What's the big thingy on your roof?!"

Zim guffawed. "Idiot human, can't you tell it's a transmissions device? It's been a long while since the Tallest last contacted me, and since the Control Brains notified me of the message, I figured they were out of range."

Dib rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I should've known it was probably something stupid. You really lost your edge, you know."

Zim flailed. "Zim is perfectly edgy! Sharper than anything else!! You are the one who is edgeless now, Dib!"

"Well, whatever. Guess I'm leaving. Sorry for bothering you. Good luck."

"Apology not accepted, Dib-thing."

"Yeah, okay."

Dib began to stroll out of the theater before pausing.

"Hey, wait, when WAS the last time your leaders contacted you?"

Zim put his finger to his chin. "I'm usually the one who initiates calls, but let's see...I've attempted a call thrice daily for the past…let me think.

7 years?"

Dib gaped at him. "7 years?! Don't you think that's kind of a lot?"

Zim shook his head. "Ah, Dib, a human like you wouldn't understand. 7 years is no time at all for an irken. Your pathetic species lives for 70 years and dies."

"But you would call your leaders every day before that? What were they doing the last time you saw them?"

"They were on fire, I think? They also looked funny, all...puppet like. Ugh."

Dib's eyes widened. "And how long have you been sitting here?"

Zim thought about it for a moment. "Oh, I don't know, maybe a few months?"

"You've been coming to sit here every day, all day, for months?"

"No, idiot! Zim hasn't moved from this spot in months! They could call me at any time, so I must be here!"

Dib stared in disbelief. "This is where you were this whole time?"

"Yes."

"What about the roof? When did you build that?"

"I didn't. I drew up a blueprint in here and sent it to Gir to assemble."

Dib couldn't say anything else. Zim was here this whole time. And he wasn't concocting a plan. All he was doing was waiting for a message which was absolutely not coming.

"Zim, did you consider the possibility that the Tallest might be, y'know, dead?"

"They probably are."

"And you-you're fine with that?"

Zim waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing the Control Brains cannot handle. They pick the next tallest living Irken and carry on. I will get a message from the Tallest either way."

Dib groaned. "Zim, you're not getting a message."

Zim whipped around and glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"There's no way you're ever going to get contacted again. You've killed 2 other Tallest to begin with, and the Control Brains or whatever just told you to stay in this room to keep you from doing anything else."

"Hey! How do you know I killed those other Tallest?"

"You told me yourself. I think you were alien-drunk. It was at Zita's party."

Zim shuddered. "Now I remember. But you lie."

"I'm not lying!"

Zim hardened his stare again and squared his shoulders. "My Tallest will contact me, and I will continue my mission. The Control Brains said so."

Dib looked back at him twice as hard. "They won't. Just give it up, Zim. Your mission is over. You've made zero progress. You're just an alien stuck on Earth now."

Zim snarled and rose himself onto his PAK-legs to meet Dib at eye-level. Dib gripped the handle of his gun in response.

"This is only a lull before the rest of my world domination is under way. The previous Tallest couldn't appreciate my genius, and wouldn't have gone to Earth without a little push, but the Control Brains told me that the Tallest will contact me about the rest of my mission proceedings." He spat the next sentence, "And I won't let you get in my way again when that happens."

Zim raised himself higher on his PAK-legs, two of them poised to strike.

Dib pointed his gun at Zim. "After all this time, and it's still all about your mission! They don't want you anymore! You've been on this planet for so long, and you still want to go home and reap your rewards, but there's nothing for you back on your world."

Zim screamed. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

Zim lunged forward. Dib took the safety off.

"I'M THE GREATEST INVADER WHO EVER LIVED! AND I HATE YOU," 

Dib put his finger on the trigger.

"AND I HATE THIS PLANET,"

He started to squeeze--

"AND I'LL GO HOME, AND --"

Zim fell silent. He lowered himself and retracted the legs.

Dib gripped the gun tighter, but stopped squeezing.

Zim scowled at the floor. "They want me back. They do. And I won't be stuck here. I don't care if I have to wait eons to hear this call."

Dib sighed. "So I'm still a threat to your mission?"

Zim laughed, bitterly. Glaring at him, again. "Don't flatter yourself! You've done nothing as of late. But you'll get in my way, and as long as you do that, you're my enemy."

Dib chuckled then too. "Yeah, I guess that's how it is." He lowered the gun he had pointed at Zim's green head.

But Dib's finger lingered on trigger. 

Zim had already started speaking again, aggressively, moment's before the gun went off.

He didn't expect it to go off.

He didn't expect it to go off, aiming where it was.

He didn't expect the bang to be so loud.

And he didn't expect to see a gaping hole where his midriff once was.

He stopped mid-syllable. He looked down.

Magenta blood began rushing down the front of his dress. Splatters of blood speckled the floor in front of him. 

Dib's face was contorted into absolute shock. He went grey, breaking out into a sweat. His hand, which held the gun, let it clatter to the ground. 

Zim looked up at him. His eyes were saucer-wide, mouth just slightly agape.

Dib felt his heart pound. "Z-Zim."

Zim fell to his knees in the pool of blood underneath him. He reached with shaky hands to the hole in his belly. Pulled his fingers away to examine the coat of magenta running down his glove.

Dib toddled over. "Zim...You're-You're…C'mon, let me call 911, you'll be okay-"

"This won't heal," Zim whispered.

Dib stopped.

Zim looked at him again. The unshakable arrogance and megalomania always present in his very aura was nowhere to be found. His eyes were wobblier than he ever saw them.

"You killed me. You killed Zim."

Dib felt his mouth dry. "I didn't mean to, I swear, I--"

"DO NOT SAY THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Zim shrieked, louder than Dib had ever heard from him before. "DO NOT LET ZIM DIE SO PATHETICALLY!" Zim's eyes started leaking profusely. "THIS WAS A SOLDIER'S DEATH AT THE HANDS OF MY ARCH-NEMESIS."

Zim snatched Dib's hand from him, squeezing it with incredible strength, his claws digging into Dib's palm. "Tell the Tallest this! Tell them when they call! Tell them you bested the mighty Zim in combat. I couldn't-I couldn't handle it, if you told the truth, p-please…"

The clarity in Zim's eyes started fading. Dib scooped his body into his arms. Holding him like this, he felt how tiny Zim's body was. You could tell from looking at him, but he was smaller than he seemed. Vulnerable.

Zim's antennae fell, limp.

Dib felt himself start to panic. "C'mon, Zim, you've survived this long, come on, please, you'll be okay, you're not dead, you-your PAK..."

Zim weakly held Dib's finger. "My PAK...will be uploaded to the Control Brain...All of my memories and conquests are safe, Dib. But I won't survive this."

Zim closed his eyes. "You were a worthy opponent, Dib."

And then Zim's hand loosened.

  
  


And he was dead.

  
  


And Dib killed him.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Dib felt Zim's lifeless body slide out of his arms. 

He sat there for a couple minutes. More than a couple, maybe an hour. Thinking.

He did what he set out to do from day one. Kill the alien enemy. Dissect his corpse. Make the autopsy video. Become famous.

Numb, he wondered instead where Zim would get buried, or how funerals work on Irk.

He couldn't tell what he felt. A small sense of victory, maybe. Zim was out of his hair once and for all. The Earth was safe.

But the Earth wasn't in any real danger anymore, was it? They were never going to call, his leaders. Zim was delusional. And even if they did call, he was never supposed to be invading in the first place. Zim was nearly harmless.

Dib shook his head and clenched his fist. No, he wasn't harmless. He was an alien menace. If given the tools, incentives, he would've figured it out eventually. He certainly had the intent. If Dib hadn't been there--

If Dib hadn't been there, he might've actually succeeded.

Dib stood up. Wiped himself off as best as he could. Re-pocketed the gun, but ejecting the magazine, knowing that those bullets should be in the hands of absolutely no-one. Stood up straight, proudly, walked out of the room. He was a hero. Took the toilet elevator back up to the house part.

Gir was still watching television. Dib stood in the kitchen, watching him, feeling a weird emotion.

He then walked out of the house, Gir waving goodbye and screaming it at him as he closed the door behind him.

He walked back home. Gaz was back from school and playing video games in the living room. Upon entering the house, Gaz looked up at Dib to greet him snarkily. Instead, she said nothing.

Dib stared back at her. He surveyed himself, covered in drying magenta flakes, hair limp from sweat, face probably pale judging by how cold his hands were.

Gaz paused her game and stood up. "What happened?"

Dib stomach turned. 

"I killed Zim."

Gaz's eyes widened. "You killed him?"

"Yeah." 

He grinned.

"And you're happy about it?"

"How else am I supposed to feel about it?"

Gaz shook her head. "You two have known each other for so long. I know people joked about it, but I thought you guys really were as good as friends. I guess I was wrong."

Dib's grin faltered. "Friends?"

Gaz looked at him, sadly. "No. You don't kill your friends."

  
  


Dib breathed in, hard. 

Grinned again, ear to ear.

And proceeded to wail.

Gaz pulled Dib into a hug. Dib clutched back at her, squeezing her half to death, eyes and nose running like a faucet. He sunk to his knees, Gaz following, sobbing harder than he ever remembered, face red and wet.

"I-It-It w-w-was a-an a-acci-an accident, I--"

Gaz squeezed him back. "I know, Dib. I know."

Dib kept crying, and crying. Knowing Zim had no one else. Knowing no one would miss him. Knowing that they were each other's only friends. Knowing all Zim ever wanted was attention.

And now he was gone.


End file.
